I posted a while back about my goals for 2009. I like to think they’re pretty achievable, but of course there’s one big complication:

Planning around baby.

That’s going to be roughest in the early months of the year. You don’t want to know how very tired I get right now. It’s hard to get work done consistently at the moment. I know quite well that I’m unfocused and tired.

This will of course be getting worse as my due date approaches, and then as I get still less sleep after she’s born.

Ideally, of course, I’ll go into natural labor and be home in a couple days. But since I had a C-section last time I do have to face the reality that I may be stuck with one again. That’s a much more difficult recovery, as I remember it, as well as more painful.

This means I have to think about making realistic goals just for the early parts of the year when I’m too tired to accomplish much.

In January, that means getting things ready for when I go into labor, and the early, exhausted days following. While working at home means I don’t need to take 6 weeks of maternity leave, taking things easy for the first few weeks is only smart.

At the same time, stopping all efforts is not what I want to do.

This makes the big January goal to prewrite some blog posts. Topics that I can just have saved, and hit publish when I need them to go out. This kind of thing keeps it looking as though I’m chugging along, while I focus on what’s really important at that point in my life.

And that’s not just posting cute baby pictures!

February, along with any part of January that may get caught up in having the baby (due date is Feb 3, so I do have to consider this), will be whatever work I can stand to do, while being there for all 3 kids. It’s the initial adjustment period, and I know my son in particular will be adjusting.

Besides, he has a February birthday also, although it’s later in the month.

By March, I hope to be getting somewhat back to normal… whatever the new normal happens to be. Won’t be the same, of course. But I would sure like to be getting the fuzz out of my head and my focus back.

We already have the office setup planned so baby can be near me even when I do work, and to protect her from all the little toys the older two leave around. Just a nice play area where only baby toys will be allowed, I or someone else can sit and play with her, and just have her near me. Beyond just when she’s nursing and I’m typing one handed, that is.

It will be interesting to see how things work out. The thought of being the mom of 3 is pretty overwhelming in some ways, especially when I add in trying to keep running my business without going completely insane. But I love what I do and I love my family, so I have no doubts that I will manage it all somehow.

Electric toothbrushes.

No, really. In the things my husband and I gave them, the electric toothbrushes were the biggest hit. Just simple ones, a blue and a pink Crayola electric toothbrush.

It was hilarious how delighted they were.

But the toothbrushes did finally get beaten out by a gift from my mother on Saturday. She gave my daughter an EyeClops BioniCam, and it was a hit all around. Even their 13 year old cousin wants one now.

They’re under $20 right now on Amazon, so a really good deal. How long that will last is up to Amazon, of course.

The kids of course wanted to use it at 400x magnification right away. Well, that’s really, REALLY hard to focus. I mean really.

My daughter was just crushed to find out that her initial images were terrible. You see, she had decided that she was going to make tons of money selling her images. Mommy’s little entrepreneur!

So I switched her on down to 100x magnification, and she’s just delighted with the results. Finding the focus there isn’t too hard, and it holds it pretty well. She still thinks she can sell the images, but that’s the kind of thing you think when you are 6 years old. She figures she can solve all our money problems by doing this. It’s really sweet.

My mother also got one for one of my other nieces who is about my daughter’s age. It was a good thing that I looked at the packaging while we were all there. These come with a 32 Meg USB key for pictures to be saved on. My brother-in-law didn’t notice it at first, stuck in the front of the box, and was grumbling about how the kids couldn’t save the pictures. I had looked at them online, and knew there was something, so I checked our box which hadn’t been opened yet, and told him where to find it.

Somehow he had mistaken it for one of the images on the box, not an actual USB key. Good thing the box hadn’t been thrown out yet.

All the kids were wanting turns. It didn’t matter that all except the 13 year old are under the 8 years of age recommended on the packaging. Once the focus is done, it’s pretty easy to show a child how to save an image. And unlike the original Eyeclops, you aren’t stuck to the television!

We haven’t even tried the movie function yet, although you can take a few seconds of movie to save on the card. Right now the kids are plenty happy just to be able to take interesting pictures.

A fun one was where my niece took a 100x image of her thumb, then washed her hands and repeated. I got to tease her about the two specks of dirt she missed in washing up. A great little lesson in how much dirt there can be on hands that looked reasonably clean.

My daughter is having to share this one with her younger brother, who is also pretty good at taking pictures with it. That’s fine with her, as he has to share his remote controlled car. Fair is fair, after all. They came to an agreement about taking turns every 10th picture taken, which has worked out so far… except for my daughter trying to insist that only 30 pictures be taken a day, and she would take the first turn. Sneaky, sneaky, but oh so cute! We’ve corrected that one, but as my son gets older he’s going to have to learn to watch out for her. She’s good at making deals like that.

Congratulations. You are now past the worst of the holiday season. Take a break with your family. Enjoy yourselves. Sleep in if you can. Play games and enjoy the beauties of the season as they appear in your area.

And yes, I’m taking my own advice. I wrote this post on 12/21 and scheduled it for today!

Twas a few days before Christmas, and all through the house
The children were running, their usual carouse.
The furniture and floors had been cleaned up with care;
In hopes that somehow no messes they’d bear.

Ornaments were nestled into the tree and spread
In hopes that the children carefully would tread.
The weather to us was a little cold snap
Meaning rain on the window barely did tap.

Then in the living room there arose so much chatter
I left my computer to see what was the matter.
Much as the children might want me to dash
I knew it was just another childhood clash.

The lights on the tree quickly did show
The contested toy that someone did throw.
The mess no surprise that it should appear;
Though my hope for otherwise had been so sincere.

Holiday tempers can flare so very quick
The tension between them soon grew quite thick.
More rapid than usual, the quarrels they came;
With tugging and shouting and calling a name.

“That’s my toy!” “She hit me!” “Well I had it first!”
“No, I did!” “I’m telling!” They stopped with my outburst:
“Out to the back yard, and go have a ball;
Now go and play, go and play, go and play all!”

One look at the rain and outside they did fly;
Thinking of puddles and making mud pie.
So out of the door the children they flew
Barely heeding my insistence on the wearing of shoes.

It would take but a moment, I knew without proof;
That such a decision some would call a goof.
As I opened the window to listen for sound;
They raced all around the cold, muddy ground.

In mud they’d soon be covered from their heads to their foot;
The only question was how long they’d stay put.
The play in the mud was right on its track;
But all too soon they came in, wanting a snack.

Their wishes for food were oh so contrary;
Frozen treats or hot chocolate, and all they could carry.
Their sweet little eyes from play were aglow,
But they insisted their tummies more food they did owe.

Quickly I noted the chattering teeth,
As well as the mud on their shoes just beneath.
A quick decision, the mud or the belly?
Hoping the mud wasn’t sticky as jelly.

So I said, “Come in and clean up yourself”
While I looked for quick snacks up on the shelf.
Muddy feet on clean floors quickly did tread;
But now it was time to get the kids fed.

Not long in their bedrooms the children did lurk;
Eager to see the result of Mom’s work.
Pleased they did seem with the food that I chose;
With snack time they wanted to watch favorite shows.

Playtime wasn’t long enough; they quickly did bristle;
It’s amazing what foods can be used like a missile.
But I heard them exclaim, right before the next fight,
“Mommy, I’m sure ready for Christmas tonight!”

Somehow I don’t anticipate spending much time online this week. It’s Christmastime and time to relax with the family.

Are you taking a break too?

I got a lot done yesterday, but there’s still more to be done. No doubt most important to my kids on that list is making Christmas cookies. They like to make chocolate chip cookies with frosting on them for Santa. They don’t much care for sugar cookies, which is why we end up frosting chocolate chip ones. Who am I to complain?

Yesterday was just plain hectic trying to get things done. I made a bargain with the kids right at the start: 15 minutes of decorating the tree (at last!) for 15 minutes of house cleaning. That worked really well with my daughter, not so well with my son. But what can you really expect from a 3 year old who isn’t in his most helpful mood?

But the tree got done. House still needs help but it’s getting there. They’ve been warned that we don’t want Santa to trip.

Then shoe shopping and other shopping with my daughter when my husband got home from work. It just hit me the other day that we still didn’t have appropriate shoes to go with her pretty holiday dress. She wore it for Thanksgiving anyhow, but pretty shoes would be a nice touch. This late in the game, the selection was pretty poor, though!

Plus just a touch of other shopping to do. I’m not a fan of Christmas shopping crowds, but I did what I had to!

Overall, this is a great time to take time for your family, and remember the important things. If you can do it, I highly recommend it. But even if you can’t take time off, find some way to make some special times for your family. It doesn’t have to cost money, just be together.

Beginner Basics of Affiliate Marketing – For those looking into getting into affiliate marketing and need help with the basic terminology or finding programs to promote.

Create A Media Kit To Attract Advertisers To Your Blog – I haven’t done this myself, but some blogs make very good money with direct advertising.

Don’t Forget to Enjoy the Holidays – It’s too easy to get caught up in working throughout the holidays when you have your own business. Take some time off.

Are You Insuring the Irreplaceable? – It’s an interesting point. Many sentimental things have high value to you, but cannot be replaced. Does insuring them do any good?

Embracing the Thrift-Store Ethic: 18 Top Tips for Buying Used Clothes – More and more people are seeing the value of shopping for clothes at thrift stores. Some good tips for getting it right.

Are you Responsible? – Good advice for anyone. SAHM, WAHM, parent, nonparent. It doesn’t matter. Be responsible with your drinking.

25 Ways to Save Money in a Tough Economy – Lots of little ways you can save money. So often it’s the little stuff that really adds up and pounds a budget.

10 Things I Have Learned Since Becoming a Parent – So basic and yet so true.

Beware of the Economic Report – Want to get your business on television? This isn’t the way to do it.

Three Family Games You Love to Play – Just think about it. Talk it over with the kids.

Making Memories While Balancing Holidays, Kids and Work – Don’t entirely neglect the holidays even if your work does have you really busy.

Will Holiday Habits Set You Back for 2009? – The habits you have during the holidays also come around at other times. Build habits that will keep you productive.

Top 10 Threats Parents Use During The Christmas Season – Have you used any of these? I know mention of Santa has been made a time or two around here, but not that much.

It’s almost Christmas. With any luck you’re already done shopping, but what about the kids, especially the younger ones? Are they done yet?

You don’t have to run out and go shopping with them at the last minute. Younger children in particular love making crafts to give as holiday presents. You may even have the supplies on hand already. Other supplies you may be able to find, such as pine cones to decorate.

Here are some sites to help give you ideas:

All Free Crafts
All Kids Network
Family Fun

My daughter is so sweet. Like a lot of families, we’re cutting back this Christmas, and we have been very upfront with the kids about this. They may not really understand what all the money talk is, but they need to understand that some things need to be simplified.

But kids do so hate to hear that around Christmas time.

My daughter’s response to my husband telling her that this would be a simpler Christmas due to lack of money was “Don’t worry. Santa will take care of the rest.”

Too bad that doesn’t work.

I did tell my husband that there are some things “Santa” can do. There are some clothes the kids will need anyhow, and he can take credit for those. I want credit for the fun gifts to go where it belongs!

The simplification of Christmas in my family has gone pretty broad in its effects. It was agreed this year that even between families hand me down or thrift store finds were fair game. This is really helpful when there are so many cousins that can hand things down to one another.

Let’s face it, though. If things are tight for your family, spending a ton of money on Christmas just is not a smart move. It’s far smarter to take things easy financially and enjoy the meaning of the holiday and the time with your family.

Even Santa would agree, don’t you think?

For so many years, the gift card has been the gift of last resort… or sometimes first when you just want an easy solution. But they have disadvantages that are present every year… and potentially more than usual this year.

Gift Card Negatives

1. Companies going under.

If a company files for bankruptcy, they may or may not have to continue honoring their gift cards. It depends on what the court says. Once they close, of course, the card is no good anyhow.

You can try to get around this by only shopping with companies that aren’t currently having going out of business sales, but it’s hard to predict who will be next. The numbers are pretty scary.

2. Some states allow them to expire.

This isn’t allowed in California and several other states, but many states allow companies to put an expiration date on their gift card. Not fair when you think about it, since the company has your money in exchange for a little piece of plastic, but it’s something to be aware of.

3. Fees.

Depending on the rules of the state the card is purchased in, there can be fees as well. Fees for using the card, checking the balance, or even for failing to use the card over a certain time period. Sometimes there’s even a fee for the purchaser in order to activate the card.

4. They can limit options.

If you give someone a gift card, be very sure they can and do enjoy shopping at that particular store. There’s nothing like finding out you have a gift card for a company that doesn’t even exist in your city and doesn’t have an online option.

Then there’s the “sure I can get there, but I hate the selection” problem. Not everyone likes every store.

5. Some people aren’t sure how to handle the balance.

When the card gets down to just a couple of dollars, a lot of people don’t know how to finish it off. It’s easy, but many aren’t comfortable with it.

All you have to do in most stores is give it to the cashier first. They apply the balance to the purchase, then you pay the rest normally. However, many companies count on customers feeling a reluctance to do so, as they get to keep any unspent balances.

6. Some card balances are easily stolen.

Sometimes gift cards on display give away too much of their information. Thieves note this down, then check balances online regularly. When one appears, they spend it online. Make sure the cards you buy hide at least part of the information needed to activate and spend the card.

Gift Card Positives

1. You know the hobby, but not what’s needed.

A gift card can be a great, personal choice if you know someone’s hobby, but not what supplies they need. If you know where they shop, you can get a gift card to that store and they’ll probably be delighted.

2. Easy to send in the mail.

No outrageous shipping fees to send a gift card across the country. On the other hand, you do have to worry about theft. But checks face the same problem in the mail.

3. No waiting for recipient to cash your check.

There’s nothing like finding out that someone took two months or more to cash their holiday gift check. It can really mess up your personal bookkeeping.

4. You can give “experience” gifts.

Very nice when you don’t want to give things. Memberships work in some cases, but if they’re too expensive or unavailable, a gift card for it can work well.

Things to Know Before Buying a Gift Card

1. What state laws apply?

Can the card expire? What about fees?

2. What are the terms and conditions?

Some of these will contradict state law because the same card is sold in many states. You’ll still want to know, so you can figure out what applies.

3. What happens when the purchase is less than the card amount?

Many stores just leave the balance on the card, but a few will give cash back.

4. What happens if the purchase is more than the card amount?

Sometimes this is harder for the store to handle than other times. Some stores will want the gift card first, while others will want it second. If it’s too confusing, the card may be difficult to use.

5. How is the card registered?

This can protect you from gift card thieves who note the information on unsold cards, then try to use them before the legitimate purchaser. If too much of the card information is freely available before purchase, you may end up giving a worthless gift.

I’ve been thinking lightly about what I want to accomplish on this site in the New Year. Daniel Scocco’s Group Writing Project on Daily Blog Tips was a nice nudge to actually start sharing some of them.

It’s a bit challenging coming up with goals this year for next. Having baby #3 due in early February means I need to plan around that event, one that is certain to slow up my productivity. But I’ve done well in the past with a baby in the house, and I feel certain I can do it again.

I’m generally pretty ambitious in my goals. I don’t always reach them, but I keep on pushing. It’s just a matter of whether or not you let failing to reach your goals get you down or not. So long as I can achieve some of them, I’m generally feeling pretty good. If I understand the obstacles I have yet to overcome on the ones I didn’t reach, I’m also not in bad shape.

It’s all a learning process, after all.

1. Reach 500 RSS subscribers to this blog .
2. Build overall income to $5000/month across all sites. I’ve nudged this one many times in the past. I’d like this to be the year I stabilize it.
3. 5 posts per week per blog for my 2-3 best sites.
4. Average one article submission per day. I’ve managed this off and on in the past. Once again, just something I need to stabilize.
5. Write at least 1 new ebook. I have about 5 ideas sketched out, so this is a matter of picking one and making the time.
6. Generally get better at networking. I’m still the quiet sort in so many ways.